Went out early to go to the
Philippine Pavilion before leaving Venice.
It was well-sign posted at the entrance to Palazzo Mora but the exhibit was closed yesterday.
Sadly, there wasn't much inside about the Philippines worth seeing. There wasn't much about the Philippines at all.
If I were Senator Loren Legarda, I'd take my name off that wall. And hang my head in shame.
Labels: Architecture Biennale, Senator Loren Legarda, Venice
The Frecciarossa from Venice was wonderful. It would've been perfect had the people in our car- a party of four very excited people- not talked nonstop throughout the two hour trip. It was a wonderful ride nonetheless.
It was nearly 5 p.m. when we arrived in Florence but it felt like the noon day sun beating down on us as we wheeled our luggage to our hotel.
Stepping into the cool shade of the Hotel Santa Maria Novella sitting room was divine. And the hotel room too was divine, looking directly out on the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella and the square.
Up on the roof deck is a magnificent view of the city and the surrounding hills.
We walked a little, gazed at the Duomo a little, then went to dinner. Trattoria al Trebbio is just around the corner from our hotel and it serves good food, simply cooked. We have acquired a new vice: cantucci and vin santo.
That evening, there was a mini concert in the square; just a couple of buskers singing feel good songs. A man waved giant soap bubbles in the air, children chased softballs and launched pretty lighted missiles into the sky with slingshots.
Later, up on the roof, we waited for the moon to rise. Jupiter and Mars shone brightly in the clear night sky. But we were tired and the moon was taking a long time climbing over the Tuscan hills, so we gave up and went to bed.
The next day was stifling hot. Rather than brave the sweaty crowds in the Piazza della Signoria, we went to lunch.
What price to pay for this view?
Answer: €6 and a potential heatstroke.
A great way to see the Duomo in Milan is to have a meal at one of the nice restaurants on the rooftop of the Rinascente building. So we figured we'd avoid a long hot search for a lunch place and go to the rooftop of the Rinascente building here.
There was just the one open air restaurant and the sun was beating down mercilessly on it. We sat under an umbrella, took some pictures, and proceeded to order lunch.
It took us another minute to decide we couldn't bear the oppressive heat and opted for the cafe downstairs serving the same menu. A half-liter of Pinot Grigio on the roof was €14; downstairs it was €8. We had a nice meal in the cool and saved ourselves €6 on the wine.
Suitably cooled down and reenergized, on to the Piazza!
You've heard of fainting spells induced by heady first time encounters with the floridly beauteous sights of Florence, right? It's called Stendhal Syndrome or Florence Syndrome.
Well, my day at the Piazza della Signoria had nothing to do with that phenomenon. I've been to Florence before. I've been in the Duomo and in the Uffizi. I've seen the glory of the Renaissance arrayed spectacularly, even at times casually, in various parts of the city.
What I was unprepared for was the sight of this monstrosity occupying center stage in this great art capital:
(Searching for Utopia, bronze sculpture by Jan Fabre, 2003.)
The world has gone mad. First came Duterte...then Brexit...cue in President Trump. And now a giant bronze turtle in Florence's Piazza della Signoria!
Also, armored trucks and heavy artillery in Piazzale degli Uffizi.
Stendhal or no Stendhal, I felt I had to get away. The next day, we left for Montepulciano.
Labels: Florence, Hotel Sta Maria Novella, Jan Fabre, Stendhal Syndrome
We just had to come back to Venice after the flood. And this is what we came back for: the light here is pure magic.
Monday dinner was at Osteria Due Mori on Piazza Mori. They used sweet cherry tomatoes and avocado sauce in their caprese salad; it was delicious. The lamb chops were perfectly seared and juicy; they were excellent. The dessert of chocolate mousse and Kentish cherries was superb.
We were convinced this is where we want to be tomorrow for dinner. Sadly, they're closed Tuesdays.
At the Zaha Hadid Retrospective which opened at this year's Architecture Biennale.
Venue is the Palazzo Franchetti, itself an architectural gem. The 16th century Venetian Gothic palace is lavishly decorated like an exquisite piece of jewelry.
First stop, lunch at the cafe.
Along with the intriguing 3-dimensional computer generated models produced by Hadid's architecture firm, the retrospective features her own painstakingly constructed 2-dimensional card models as well as her early paintings.
On my wish list this year, a 3-D printed Zaha Hadid chair.
Also in the city this year is the Dance Biennale.
This was no gliding twirling kind of dance. They leaped and tumbled and hurled themselves on the ground, then executed graceful athletic moves in extremely demanding slow motion.
One injured dancer barely managed the curtain call.
Back in the Cannaregio quarter, we found a friendly neighborhood bar for a well-deserved sit down, wine, and tapas.
Later, on our way back to our hotel, the sound of choir singing led us to a church concert.
Hate to say it but "Agnus dei...miserere nobis..." sung to a piano arrangement by Carly Simon just won't do. It wasn't Carly of course, but the intro reminded me too much of "You're So Vain!"
To wrap up the evening, we went in search of our favorite dessert.
We'd walk a mile for a Magnum!
Labels: Biennale, Magnum, Osteria Due Mori, Venice
At Hotel Villa Cipriani, Room 101 has been spruced up, brightened up, chairs reupholstered, deck chairs recushioned.
Downstairs, the lounge chairs have also been reupholstered and the garden chairs are new. The garden is slightly overgrown but still pretty and sweetly perfumed.
There's a bar below the ground floor garden now, above the pool.
Moon shots.
Day 1:
Day 2:
Day 3:
Saturday lunch at Porchetta e Manetta d' Asolo in the square.
Lighting candles for Daddy Paeng and Dad Trefor on Fathers Day in Chiesa dell'Assunta:
Today at Osteria Al Bacaro.
I had to ask the waitress what this ceramic cup was for. For the wine, as suspected :
Ominous black clouds hijacked our plan to walk off our lunch...
...until the sun began to creep in...
...a long walk, down the hill to the Chiesa di Santa Caterina, then up again to the gates of the Villa Contarini...
...to the Chiesa di Sant' Anna and its lovely churchyard overlooking the hills of Monte Grappa. This is where the celebrated Italian actress Eleonora Duse and the scholarly British travel writer and explorer Freya Stark are buried, both having retired in and loved this enchanting medieval town.
This is Asolo...too beautiful for words...you really have to be here to understand why it's been called the city of a hundred horizons...
Labels: Asolo, Church of Sta Anna, Eleonora Duse, Fathers Day, Freya Stark, Hotel Villa Cipriani, Villa Contarini Belvedere
3:25 pm: we arrive in Sta Lucia from Trieste on the regional train. Trenitalia, €20.05 each.
7:30 pm: we wade through Venice's yucky but photogenic water to get to our restaurant for dinner.
Acqua alta on the move! This is when the tide, acqua marea, becomes exaggeratedly high, overflowing the lagoons.
The restaurant, a favorite from previous visits, Anice Stellato:
8:30 pm: the water has breached the door step.
9 pm: arrivals are wearing "grossly over-priced" disposable boots.
9:30 pm: with the water still rising, we decide to make a run for our hotel. The restaurant graciously provides us with flood gear.
"Do they come in red?" I ask.
"You look very chic," the gentleman at the next table assures me.
If our mothers could see us now! Mucking about in the flood! Great fun! 😊
Labels: acqua Alta, Anice Stellato, flood, Venice
